New left-field video board enhances Wrigley Field experience

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Fans got their first glimpse of Wrigley Field's newest addition when the Cubs unveiled a new 3,990 square-foot LED video board in left field in time for Opening Night, Sunday, April 5. In its inaugural game, the new video board featured a wide array of Cubs content, including a historic Wrigley Field montage video and a tribute to Ernie Banks.
The new LED board, manufactured by South Dakota-based Daktronics, measures approximately 42 x 95 ft and is composed of 40 separate LED panels. Using the latest technology, the board supports multiple content "zones," allowing it to show live video, scoring information, statistics and graphics simultaneously. A 20-person gameday production staff is required to operate the video board during each home game.
The new left-field video board has been thoughtfully designed to provide fans with an enhanced gameday experience while paying tribute to the ballpark's existing look and feel. The hand-operated scoreboard in center field will remain in place and continue to function as the main scoreboard for line scores, balls and strikes and out-of-town scores. The left-field video board complements the existing scoreboard by providing additional and unique content.
In order to ensure that the ballpark's latest additions are providing fans with the best in-game experience, the team spent more than a year conducting research and talking to fans about what information and content they want to see. "The video board is an extension of what fans have told us they want," says Alison Miller, senior director of Marketing. Fans at Wrigley Field can expect to see a mix of game and player stats, video replays, historical Cubs footage and behind-the-scenes interviews with the team, as well as baseball content from around the league. "It will not be 'over-gimmicked,'" explains Miller. "Fans won't see crowd prompts or kiss cams."
Fans also can expect to see a new twist on an old tradition this season. After each Cubs win at Wrigley Field, the team will keep the Wintrust "W" lit above the left field video board after the ballpark lights turn off. The lit "W" is a nod to a longtime Cubs tradition that dates back to 1937, when lights were installed on top of the scoreboard next to the W and L flags to help notify fans and passersby of the team's fate long after the game had ended.
A second, slightly smaller video board will be installed above the right field bleachers before the All-Star Break. The Budweiser sign currently in right field, that also made its debut Opening Night, will be moved to its permanent location on top of the right-field video board once it has been installed.